On today’s show, we talk to Christine Springer about burnout and mindset blocks. Burnout happens in every occupation as we are increasingly more busy, stressed and disconnected, so how do we keep ourselves from burnout and stay productive?

Christine has a medical background, which gives her the foundation of how she sees stress. Coaching others to avoid burnout started with a personal experience, as she thought her problem was due to needing a new productivity tool or to reassess her time management skills.

Instead, she realized that she had to change her expectations of herself and how she was engaging with her team in order to be more productive, present and happier at her job.

She now helps other people to change their mindset on how they relate to themselves and the people around them, to help them to keep doing the things they love. Burnout robs you of the desire and ability to do your job well, and Christine says she is “giving people their passion back”.

What is a mindset block?

Your mindset is your thoughts and beliefs on rules of how the world works and how you operate, and a block is any thought you have which limits what you think is possible for yourself. Thoughts influence actions and lead to the results you get in life.

The biggest problem with a mindset block is that you don’t know you have one, as it typically hides as something you just think is the way it is.

Christine says the benefit of having a coach is that it’s hard to read your own label, and an outside perspective is needed to challenge the beliefs that are limiting you, to help you develop your leadership ability, and to avoid the spiral down to burnout.

The most common mindset blocks which lead to burnout

Christine says she sees regular mindset blocks which lead to burnout. The first is the belief of “if I can’t handle my workload, it means I’m weak or I suck at my job”, which is common amongst high achievers who are comfortable with working hard. They often feel guilty about resting or judge themselves for needing a break.

Needing a break is nothing to be ashamed of, and if you deny burnout is happening it will negatively impact your creativity. If you acknowledge it, it will improve your productivity and leadership.

The second mindset block which is seen often is the idea of “if I don’t do it myself, it won’t be done right”. This shows a person has fear of giving up control and can’t trust others, and also that they feel like they don’t have enough time to train anyone to do it as well as they can which leads to being worn out and overwhelmed.

Do personality traits make a person more susceptible to burnout?

There are three personality traits which increase the likelihood of someone experiencing a burnout:

Being a hyper-achiever: Self-worth is tied to the things you do and you feel lazy and worthless if you’re not doing anything, even if you recognize you’re tired and need a break.

Being a people pleaser: You have a fear of being viewed as lazy or not a team player if you say no and have trouble setting boundaries of what’s expected of you.

The imposter syndrome: Feeling like you don’t deserve the position you have, so you work harder to prove yourself.

How to identify a mindset block

The first way to identify a mindset block is by the language you use. If you use disempowered phrases like ‘I should’ or ‘I have to’ when you’re at work, it is a sign that you feel like you have to do something you don’t want to do.

If there is a persistent gap between what you say you want to do, such as taking a break, and what actually happens, as you end up working still, this is the second signal of a potential mindset block. We do the things we think are important, so if you don’t believe you’re worthy of a break, you won’t do it.

The third way to spot a mindset block is if you make excuses for why you have to be the person who is always taking on another task, even when you’re already overloaded.

Strategies to get go of mindset blocks and reduce burnout

You have to be responsible for your own energy, as when it drops so does your leadership ability, creativity, and decision-making. Christine recommends developing a mindfulness practice and mentions a PDF of mindfulness strategies at work which you can sign up for through her website.

Look at rest as a tool for performance and productivity rather than as a barrier, and get accountability through a coach, leadership team, or buddy. No one is ever objective about themselves, so accountability is good for connectivity and perspective.